HAVE YOU WASHED YOUR HANDS?

On the BBC there is an article from America that is likely to make hospital administrators in Australia sit up and take notice.

It may also start a devastating slide in the performance of soap and detergent companies on the stock market

Lately there has been a campaign in Australia to remind staff and patients and indeed visitors alike to WASH YOUR HANDS when you are in the hospital to ensure that the spread of bacteria and viruses is minimized and hygiene preserved.

I am taking the liberty of reproducing some parts of this article to try and assist all those who may have some habits that they need to change to live in hope that maybe, just for once, there really IS a technological solution that does NOT involved them once again having to change their behaviour.

Adding a special "spiky" coating to surfaces can kill bacteria and viruses, research suggests.

US scientists found painting on spike-like structures kept the surfaces infection-free.

The spikes, they believe, rupture bacteria and virus particles on contact, inactivating them.

The team, writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggest their findings could help to fight the spread of diseases.

The researchers painted glass with long chains of molecules, called polymers, which anchored to the surface to form tentacle-like spikes.

When the team then applied the surfaces with E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus (both common disease-causing forms of bacteria) and the influenza virus, they found the coating killed them with 100% efficiency within minutes

Of course an English kill joy:-

Professor Ian Jones, a microbiologist from Reading University, said: "This is an interesting paper, from the point of view that it is a new and simple approach to fighting infection that seems to be effective against both bacteria and viruses."

However, he said he was less convinced the spikes were piercing the particles and thought another, more chemical, mechanism could be at play.

"The other thing that is important to find out is the longevity of the effect. If a toilet door handle, for example, is coated with this material, would it last for days, hours, weeks? It would be vital to know how often it needs to be applied."

So, while we wait - it is important to keep asking - HAVE YOU WASHED YOUR HANDS?

Social work in the naughties!

I am afraid that I cannot attribute this little story either, as it was sent to me in memory of the place I used to work and a profession I once practised.

A guy walks into the local welfare office for his fortnightly cheque. (The computer system having failed - AGAIN!)

He marches straight up to the counter and says, "Hi, you know, I just HATE coming in here drawing welfare month after month. I'd really much rather have a job."

The social worker (who just happened to be) behind the counter says, "Your timing is excellent.

We just got a job opening from a very wealthy old man who wants a chauffeur cum bodyguard for his nymphomaniac daughter.

You'll have to drive around in his Mercedes, but he'll supply all of your clothes.

Because of the long hours, meals will be provided.

You'll be expected to escort her on her overseas holiday trips.

You'll have a two-bedroom apartment above the garage.

The starting salary is $200,000 a year."

The guy says, "You're bullshitting me!"

The social worker says, "Yeah, well, you started it."

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

S. H. I. T.

I have no idea where I saw or heard this item so I am afraid that attribution is simply not possible - for this I apologise. However since it is the end of the year I thought that a "history lesson" would be good for all of us.

Subject: History lesson

Manure:  In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything had to be transported by ship and it was also before commercial fertilizer's invention, so large
shipments of manure were common.

It was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet, but once water (at sea) hit it, it not only became heavier, but the
process of fermentation began again, a by product being methane gas. As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and
did) happen.

Methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came below at night with a lantern, BOOOOM!

Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined just
what was happening

After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the term "Ship
High In Transit" on them, which meant for the sailors to stow it high
Enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would
not touch this volatile cargo and start the production of methane.

Thus evolved the term "S.H.I.T " , (Ship High In Transport) which has come
Down through the centuries and is in use to this very day.

You probably did not know the true history of this word.

Neither did I.

I had always thought it was a golf term

Vale 2006 - well, not quite!

As the year winds on to a close so too do the lives of some people who have actually had a major impact on the world as well as those who are there merely to make up the numbers

The death of former President Gerald Ford of the USA was announced today - he was 90+ years old.

Some will remember him as:

• the only president never to have been elected;
  
• the person who granted Tricky Dicky Nixon an unconditional pardon;
• the person who finally ended the Vietnam war;
  
• the person who tried to restore some dignity to the Presidency;
  
• someone who used to be a good athlete and yet had a history of stumbles when he was in office
  

Whatever the memories, another of the living US presidents is no more.

This day was also the day when the situation in Somalia got some action happening. In the past I have written about this disaster area where some of the Islamic Militia have been waging a war against the established government and creating a flood of refugees. Nothing seems to have been done in the past to either support the government in this country or to abandon them. Now the Ethiopian troops have taken a hand and the militia has fled abandoning all of the conquests that they have achieved to date.

Will this be the end of the situation? I suspect not. Indeed what is more likely is that Eritrea which is a neighbour and has reputedly been arming the militia will react, the African Union will probably want to take a hand now that things are happening and with any luck someone will notice that Ethiopia has a strong background to do with Christianity and so the conflict will be painted as a war of ideologies again.

It is interesting to speculate what finally tipped the Ethiopians into this conflict in a full scale assault and no doubt there will be speculation about the hand that was played in the conflict by one power or another.

Another major event of the day was the fact that the USA finally recognised the Polar Bear as being endangered by the melting of the polar ice cap, its native habitat. In doing so the USA has opened the floodgates for those ecologists who will use this small opening to wax lyrical about the USA's excessive use of energy, its lack of concern about the environment and create the thin edge of the wedge in moving their political agendas forward.

One item that has not yet surfaced in this discussion is what sort of effect the melting ice caps will have on the rest of the world. I wonder for example whether the massive increase in the amount of fresh water being injected into the world's oceans will have an impact on marine life, whether the rising water levels will mean doom for many low lying communities (those islands in the Pacific that are barely above water level now come to mind as well as a lot of coastlines around the world including those of England and the Netherlands and Bangladesh). I also wonder whether the fact that massive shifts in mass from the poles to the oceans combined with the earth's rotation and spin effect will create some issues for that rotation and if so what impact this will have in terms of earthquakes, tidal waves etc.?

2007 promises to be yet another interesting year and one in which yet another subject will absorb some of the interest of the world - this being the larger than 100% increase in top executive salaries while the rest of humanity is becoming more and more divided into the very rich and the very poor. I suspect that yet another 'correction' will be taking place.

Whinging Poms?

This just in from "Management Issues"

It may seem like only yesterday that you hired them, but six months down the line nearly half of workers think they deserve to be promoted. What's more, many will jump ship if they don't move up the ladder.

I have been putting my ear out (see image) and listening to the comments and groans of frustration coming from friends and colleagues about exactly the same issue that seems to be besetting people in the UK.

Why is this happening?

Maybe because the Poms, having lost the Ashes to Australia (again!), have nothing better to do than complain about their lot in life.

Maybe this is because the UK is socked in with fog and people can't even leave the place if they want to.

Maybe this is because there is a natural (read evolutionary outcome) tendency within the UK to nothing else but bitch all day!

Maybe . . . . well let's not speculate further - let's just DEAL with the issue.

I think I have a cure which can be classified as educational and may even be capable of being funded by your work place.

Go for a long trip to a third world country and spend a little time in a battle zone or in an area that has been subject to health and/or environmental issues to boot.

Examine in detail the plight of the folks there. Note those who not only do not have enough to eat or drink, but if they have a 'job' there is no way that they can pursue it. Note that they have been reduced to basic survival mode.

With millions of people (perhaps even billions) out there just trying to survive, ask yourself whether in comparison, you are fortunate in just being alive, having a job, a place to live, and enough food and water to drink and enough time, energy and good health to actually enjoy some of your time in pursuing recreational pursuits without any fear that someone near you will explode or have fun using you for target practice.

When you realise how (relatively) well off you are, then get back into your box, stop being a complete ass and knuckle down to work instead of spending most of your day contemplating your navel and moaning about how badly off you are!

Promotion?

After less than six months? No way Jose!

Learn what you are doing, get good at it and work for a couple of years so that you can pay back the investment that your employer has made in your future.

A new meaning for "Wishing you a Merry Christmas"

Speaking of Christmas - there comes a time in everyone's life when you receive glad tidings from overseas which contain some funny messages.

I received this little gem (sans words) from a family friend who is English and currently living and working in South America.

Soon to head home to England and no doubt thinking of home (wherever that is these days) she sent this under the cover note which said something about enjoying a vegetarian Christmas.

I wonder what title you would assign to this picture.

Here are some suggestions:

"Don't hide your light in a bushell - try a turkey instead!"

"I've heard of a 'swan necked' vase, but this is ridiculous!

"Who is the real turkey here! Fancy thinking I could fit under a kitchen cupboard"

"The man does not know what he is doing. As if I would answer to 'Here chickie chickie!"

"G-d I hope he doesn't try to turn me on!"

"Global warming (not to mention the oven) gave me the idea of hiding in the shade!"

"This gives a whole new meaning to sticking your neck out!"

Out with the Old and in with the New

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Hanukkah!

Here is a quick greeting and best wishes to you all. I hope that Santa brings you what you wish for, although some recent correspondence (thanks George) would have me believe that if he was answering his correspondence himself rather than having it done via the propaganda machine, it might, just might, result in some more interesting messages.
For example:

Dear Santa,
I wood like a cool toy space ranjur fer Xmas. Iv ben a gud boy all yeer
yer Frend, BiLLy

Dear Billy,
Nice spelling. You're on your way to a career in lawn care. How about I send you a book so you can learn to read and write? I'm giving your older brother the space ranger. At least HE can spell!
Santa

Dear Santa,
I have been a good girl all year, and the only thing I ask for is peace and joy in the world for everybody!
Love, Sarah

Dear Sarah,
Your parents smoked pot when they had you, didn't they?
Santa

Dear Santa,
What do you do the other 364 days of the year? Are you busy making toys?
Your friend,
Thomas

Dear Thomas,
Are you kidding? All the toys are made in China. I outsourced and got a life. Hey, you wanted to know.
Santa

Dear Santa,
Do you see us when we're sleeping, do you really know when we're awake, like in the song?
Love, Jessica

Dear Jessica,
Are you really that gullible or are you just blond? Good luck in whatever you do. I'm skipping your house this year.
Santa

Dear Santa,
I really really want a puppy this year. Please please please PLEASE PLEASE could I have one?
Timmy

Timmy,
That whiny begging stuff may work with your parents, but it doesn't work with me. You're getting a sweater again.
Santa

Passing times - A reality check!

As December 2006 winds itself towards the end of another year I thought it timely to take a reality check! The first thing that I noted was that maybe it's time for me to get a new image.

This one has some deficits that may not be obvious to anyone else, so let me try and explain my reasoning.

In the first place I no longer have either the required amount of hair that would justify keeping this picture, nor is it all one colour, nor indeed all there, these days.

Alas, the sands in the hour-glass have shifted and as another 'age' (I simply hate to use the word birthday) creeps up on me, so the figurative autumn leaves are changing colour and falling (out, in this case).

Then there is the beard.

Following various operations, it remains a mere shell of its former self, having been reduced from its previous glory, to a mere Van Dyk.

As for the shirt with the rolled up sleeves, the tie and the large console phone, all are reminiscent of a former life, when I was employed full time and actually trying to demonstrate some sort of adherence to a corporate wardrobe without actually getting to the stage of having to buy and wear those tax deductible items.

In short folks the picture no longer represents who I am or indeed what I really look like not even in my own mind.

One not so wonderful component about my growing older, appears to be the persistent habit I have retained to try to minimise the effects and the impact of change.

If there must be change, I say, then let it come at the time of MY choosing and at a pace that I can absorb without any undue negative psychological effects. If that is not possible then let me at least CONTROL the change!

Alas, the world is neither kind nor necessarily subject to my wishes.

The changes in my persona, have come about almost without being noticed.

It appears that no amount of facing the mirror while brushing my teeth, combing my hair (or what's left of it), etc. have actually helped me to achieve any form of recognition of the changes.

It was only when, in a moment of madness, I started to work on updating a web site, by actually reviewing the contents, especially the photographs, that a hint of the discrepancies started to make an appearance and an impact.

At first, it was nothing, a feeling of incongruence, something that was missing or something that was different.

Then, the realisation hit. It was not something missing, but rather something that was present in the photos or drawings that was missing in real life.

Depression struck!

It was with a heavy heart that I started to adjust my web sites to reflect the new (or should I say new/older) me.

I had no idea how to represent the caricature of my current self. Then inspiration struck!

Just look at the little cartoon at the top of this article.

It shows a man presumably more or less in the prime of his life, who used to resemble me. Note that it is in black and white to represent the past.

He wears his watch on the left hand, he uses the phone in a left handed manner, he wears glasses, he has a beard that is like mine used to be, he wears his shirt with a tie and habitually rolls up his sleeves to get the job done. In short someone who fancies himself to be, well, if not an executive, someone at least with some level of responsibility and someone who appears to be a hard worker, someone who likes to talk and someone who obviously has some affinity with technology.

Compare that image please with this cartoon. Note the differences.

Here the picture is in colour, the hairline has receded considerably, the beard has been diminished, the ears have grown larger, the glasses are thicker as a result of deteriorating eyesight, and finally the shirt and tie are gone, replaced by a T shirt worn with a grin, outside of an office environment where nature is obviously taking its course. Note the drooping shoulders, the arms that indicate hands in the pockets, that casual, "could care less" quality.

That is closer to my reality these days.

Ironically enough - from the BBC

France launches world TV channel

President Chirac has given his personal backing to the project

France's first international news channel has been launched into competition with BBC World and CNN.

France 24 was unveiled on the internet at on Wednesday evening, and will launch on satellite and cable TV 24 hours later.

The channel has the backing of French President Jacques
Chirac, who despaired at the lack of an outlet for French views in the
run up to war in Iraq.

Pete's Points
So at last it has come to this!
Now we have

1. A channel in UK English (BBC)
2. A channel in American English (CNN)
   
3. A Channel in German and German English (Deutsche Welle)
4. A Channel in Arabic
5. A channel in French

The tower of Babel is returning just when we have returned to where Babel was in the first place.
How much more news (I mean propaganda) can we stand?

Note please dear readers that the French President has helped this to happen because he wants FRENCH views on air.

Look forward to new world wide 24 hour NEWS channels from China, India and other budding superpowers who also want to share their messages with the world

The Vagaries of Petrol Prices

Yesterday I was happily driving to the mall and in passing the petrol station with discount fuel I noticed that the price was set at $1.12 per litre provided you had a shopping voucher. With this at home I resolved to get the fuel the next day - namely today.

Lo and behold when I went out less than a half day later the fuel had suddenly risen in price to $1.20 per litre. Thus in the space of less than half a day the price of this fuel has risen by 8 cents per litre.

I checked with the oil market figures and I found to my surprise and horror that the actual cost of the stuff that we import has gone DOWN in price.

So what is the difference between Wednesday and Thursday? Why nothing much - it's just that this Thursday is a PAY DAY for most people, so the gas stations have decided to cash in and make as much money as possible!

Personally I think that is not only disgusting it is exploitation of the very worst kind.

I will still have to have fuel in my car but I can assure my readers that I will make some more interesting decisions about WHEN I buy my fuel in the future - It will always be on a Wednesday that is just in front of a pay day.

The more people who read this and check out whether what I am saying is repeated in their neighbourhoods as well the more who are likely to stop being exploited by the greedy service station owners.

Let's all get together and learn to play the game OUR way and not give in to the games that are being played with our finances by what I believe to be unscrupulous operators.